Japan-Iraq Relations
Japan-Iraq Summit Meeting
Photograph of the leaders shaking hands (Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
Photograph of the Japan-Iraq Summit Meeting (Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
Photograph of the joint press announcement (Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
On April 5, commencing at shortly after 6 p.m. for approximately 45 minutes, Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, held a summit meeting with H.E. Dr. Haider Al-Abadi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq, who is making a working visit to Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
1. Beginning
Prime Minister Abe extended his congratulations on the defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and progress of the reconstruction in Iraq, and stated that Japan will continue to support the Iraqi people’s unified efforts towards reconstruction and is determined to strengthen the relationship between the two countries in a broad range of fields, taking the opportunity of the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2019.
In response, Prime Minister Al-Abadi expressed gratitude for Prime Minister Abe’s invitation, and stated that he would like to take this visit as an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
2. Bilateral relations
Prime Minister Abe stated that Japan will support Iraqi reconstruction by steadily implementing ODA yen loans, such as the ODA yen loan for Water Supply Improvement and Irrigation that was signed on this occasion. Prime Minister Abe also stated that Japan will cooperate together with the international community towards stabilization of Iraqi security, which forms a foundation for the reconstruction, through collecting weapons that are rampant in Iraqi society, based on discussions that took place during the international conference today.
Prime Minister Abe praised recent efforts by Iraqi authorities related to strengthening security in Iraq, and conveyed his intention to downgrade the travel warning on three provinces of central and southern Iraq.
Prime Minister also stated that creating a favorable business and investment environment is a key for Japanese companies to further activate businesses in Iraq and also contribute to the reconstruction, and requested the efforts of the Iraqi government to this effect.
In addition, an exchange of notes concerning the “Basrah Water Supply Improvement Project (Stage II)” (19.415 billion yen) and the “Irrigation Sector Loan (Phase 2)” (15.465 billion yen) yen loans was held in the presence of the two leaders.
3. Regional and international affairs
The two leaders exchanged views on international affairs including North Korea and the Middle East, and views on bilateral cooperation in the international arena.